Motor Museums To Visit In The UK
Feb 25, 2020

The UK is full of well-known automotive museums such as Coventry’s Transport Museum and the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon.

The Kahn News team have picked the best automotive museums you can drive to, within the comfort of your very own Chelsea Truck Company Wide Track Defender.

Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon

Location: Gaydon, Warwickshire

Admission: £12 (adults), £8 (5-16)

Web: www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

The 300 plus vehicles on display should be enough to entice you to point your Chelsea Truck Company Wide Track Defender towards this historic landmark.

The Heritage Centre is full of an iconic collection of British cars, showcasing domestically made vehicles, with marquee vehicles that sit alongside brands manufactured on these shores.

Coventry Transport Museum
Location: Coventry, West Midlands
Admission: Free
Web: www.transport-museum.com

The Coventry Transport Museum is said to be home to the world’s biggest collection of British road transport, boasting an enviable collection of cars, commercial vehicles and bikes.

Open from 10am to 5pm all year, it may be an idea to compare your Wide Track with one of the classic Defender models on display to give you an idea of what has changed over the years.

If that was not enough, the museum is home to the land speed record holder Thrust SCC. If you want to have a go, you will have to make do with the simulator, giving you a taste of what it feels like to drive faster than the speed of sound.

Brooklands Museum

Where: Weybridge, Surrey
Admission: £11 (adult), £6 (5-16)
Contact: www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Motor Sport fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to the Brooklands Museum.

Host to the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, the museum pays homage to British engineering and technological marvels from throughout the 20th century.

Different means of transportation are also covered, with a Concorde exhibition area for aviation enthusiasts and a plethora of specialist car events held throughout the year.

Brooklands Museum is open from 10am to 5pm.

Lakeland Motor Museum

Location: Windermere, Cumbria
Admission: £7.95 (adult), £5 (5-15)
Web: www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk

Located in the midst of the picturesque Lake District, Lakeland Motor Museum holds a huge selection of historic vehicles with Aston Martin, Jaguar and DeLorean models amongst others on display.

Opening times are 10am to 4.30pm all year round so it may be prudent to go for an off-road adventure first in your CTC Wide Track Defender, then treat yourself to some automotive history.

Haynes Motor Museum

Location: Sparkford, somerset
Admission: £10.95 (adult), £5.95 (children)
Web: www.haynesmotormuseum.com

Situated in close proximity to the busy A303 in Sparkford, near Yeovil, the Haynes motor museum is said to be the biggest in Britain, with an impressive collection of more than 400 vehicles and motorbikes showcasing motoring from the 1800s to the present day.

Visitors will find that an American Collection packs all the muscle cars from the early 20th century onwards, while the Vroom Room features a number of supercars, including a Lamborghini Countach.

The Red Room is a wonder to behold, a hall of vehicles, including cars driven by Michael Schumacher and Sir Stirling Moss are on display for eager enthusiasts to view.
Last, but not least, the MG and Morris Garage sections pay homage to classic British vehicles.

Beaulieu National Motor Museum

Location: Brockenhurst, Hampshire
Admission: £20 (adults), £9.95 (5-12)
Web: www.beaulieu.co.uk

A name that will resonate with all motoring fans is The Beaulieu National Motor Museum.
This museum is brimming with history and is a great family day out. Principal exhibits include everything from cars that have been featured in films to Formula One vehicles.

Beaulieu is open every day from 10am to 5pm, and until 6pm from May to September.

On Your Marques Model Car Collection

Location: Alford, Lincolnshire
Admission: £3 (adults), £1 (5-16)
Web: www.on-your-marques.co.uk

There is no museum like the On Your Marques Model Car Collection museum.

Even though you will not find a real-life car here, you will find model cars many of us would have grown up with as kids. From Scalextric tracks to slot cars and collector’s items this place is bursting with infectious products and boyish enthusiasm.

However, please bear in mind that the museum is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from April to October, from 11am to 4pm.